Starting system for automobiles



H. v. s. TAYLOR. STARTING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE f. I915.

1,403,356, Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Ham (2 1 J fay/0r 7 ATTORNEY Toall whom it may cmwem:

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.PATENT OFFICE.

ramisnvama, aesrenoa 'ro was-rum HOUSE ELECTRIC AND HANUEAOTUB-ING comm; A CORPORATION 01' Pm- ..snvms; v v enema BYB'I'EK Application fled Inc 4,

Be it known that I, Homes V. S; Tarpon,

alcitizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh in the county of Allegheny and State of a Pennsylvania, ve invented a new and useful Im rovement in Starting Systems for Automo iles ofwhich the following is a specification. i My invention relates to starting systems for automobiles and. particularly to such systems as embody dynamo-electric machines reciprocating armatures for controlng t e operative connection of said dynamo-electric machines to the shafts of internal-combustion engines.

I: ;.My invention has for its object to provide a simple arrangement whereby the armature of a dynamo-e ectric machine may recip- ==rocated longitudinally with a strong force 20 ;the armature.

while little or no torque is efi'ective to rotate Starting'mo'tors have been provided with .normally displaced armab'res, but the sys- .tems embodying such arrangements ossess a number of disadvantages. It has, eretofore, been necessary to employ manually openable-switching mechanisms of a somewhat complicated nature either for temporarily shunting the motor circuit or for controlling theresistor that is in circuit with it. Such an arrangement is necessary because, in the displaced position of the armature, the

torque is sufliciently high to rotate the armatureata comparatively high rate of speed wheels are completely meshed.

It is also diflicult to effect the meshing of b the gear wheels when there iseonsiderable lateral pressurefbetween the coacting teeth.

When little or no torque is effective to rotate the armature during its longitudinal movement, the gear wheels will be readily meshed because there is little or no lateral pressure between their respective teeth to retard their relative slidable movements.-

' I provide an electric motor having anarmature that is normally displaced longitudinally. In the displaced position of the armature. the greater portion of, the armsture windings are shunted by means of awe ron aluminum;

.7 Specification of Letterl Patent. Patentd Jan. 10, 1922,

1015. semi no; 82,131. v a

ilia' commutator hmshes which elec circuit. Full torque is then e'fiective to rotate the armature to crank the en 'ne. In the accompanying drawings, ig. "1 is a view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a portion of an engine fly wheel with my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of circuits and ap aratu's embodying my invention.

eferring articularly to Fig. 1, an engind fly whee 1, only a portion of which is shown, is provided with gear teeth 2. An electric motor 3, which is adapted to be 0peratively connected to. the fly wheel 1, comprises'field-maginetlpoles 4, series field-mag 'n'et windings 5 and an armaturefi that is arrangeddor longitudinal movement in bearings 7. A spring 8, which is interposed between one end of the armature shaft 9 and an extended portion 10 of the motorcasing, tends to maintain the armature in a displaced position relatively to the field-magnet frame, as illustrated. The armature shaft 9 is provided with a pinion 12 which coacts with the gear teeth 2 to operatively connect the motor to the engine shaft.

A commutator cylinder 13, which is of such length that the main brushes 14 are in engagement with it throughout the longitudinal movements of the armature, is in axial alinement with a sleeve 15 of insulating-material. A pair ofauxiliary brushes 16, which are in engagement with the commutator cylinder when the armature is in its di laced position are both axially and angula ydis- Reference may now be had to Fig. 2, in

which the circuits and apparatus employed in connectionwth' my invention are-digrammatically illustrated. Themotor is'supplied I with current .from a storage battery 17. The

motor circuit is controlled by a manually operable switch 18 which may be located at any suitableor' convenient part of the vethe auxiliary hicle. It will be noted that each of the main brushes 14 is connected to one of the auxiliary brushes 16 in such manner as to shunt the greater portion of the coils of the armature winding.

If the main and the auxiliary brushes were in axial alinement, the armature windings would be entirely short circuited and no torque would beieflective to rotate the armature in its displaced position. This condition is not desirable, however, because a slight rotation of the armature while the engagement of the gear wheels is being effectoperates to facilitate their meshing. It will be obvious that the torque effective to rotate the armature when the coactin gear wheels are initially engaged may arranged by adjusting the relative angular positions of the main and auxiliary brushes It ma be assumed that the several parts are in tli with the pinion 12 out of engagement with the gear teeth 2, To start the engine, the

switch 18 is closed to complete the motor circuit which extends from the battery 17 through that portion of the armature windings that corresponds to the angle between each of the main brushes 14 and the adjacent auxiliary brush 16, series field windings 5 and switch 18, to the battery.

Because of the low resistance of the circult, a heavy current traverses the motdr windings, and the field-magnet poles exert a strong magnetic force to shift the armature 6 to its central )osition and thereby effect the meshing of the pinion 12 with the gear teeth 2. When the motor closed, little or no torque is effective to rotate the annature because the greater portion of the armature winding is shnnteihas has been previously described.

As the armature G returns to its central position, the insulating sleeve 15 registers with the brushes 16. When the armature is in its central position, and the pinion 12 is completely meshed with the gear teeth 2,

brushes 16 are entirel disconnected from the commutator cylinc er 13. Full torque is then effective to rotate the armature, and the fly wheel 2 is rotated to crank the engine.

When the engine starts under its own power, the switch 18 is released by the operator to open the motor circuit. The armature 6 will then be returned to its displaced position by the spring 8 which has been nocircuit is initially der compression, and the pinion 12 will be disengaged from the gear teeth 2. The commutator cylinder 13, the insulating sleeve 15 and the brushes 1 4 and 16 will then occupy their respective illustrated positions in readiness for the succeeding starting operation.

It will be understood that the number of eir respective illustrated positions,

field magnet poles shown and described is aims without departing from the 1. In a starting system, the combination with an electric motor having a longitudinally shiftable armature, of means controlled in accordance with the position of said armature for shunting a portion of the armature windings.

2. In as starting system, the combination with an electric motor nally shiftable armature, of means for shunting a portion of the armature windings when the armature is in a displaced position and for removing the shunt circuit when the' armature is in its operative position.

3. In a starting system, the combination with an electric motor having a longitudinally shiftablearmature, of a-commutator cylinder, main and auxiliary brushes coacting therewith, means for electrically connecting 'corrcsponding pairs of said brushes to shunt a portion of the armature windings when the armature is in its displaced posi tion, and means for removing the shunt circuit when the armature is in its operative position.

4. In a starting system, the combination with an engine member, and an electric motor having an armature that is longitudinally shiftable from a central position to effect an operative connection 'to said engine member, of a commutator cylinder, electrically connected main and auxiliary commutator brushes coacting with said commutator cylinder when the armature is in its displaced position, and an insulating member for coacting with said auxilia brushes when the armature is in its centre position.

5. In a starting mechanism, the combination with an electric motor having a lon it'udinally shiftable armature, anda commutator cylinder, of means coacting with said commutator cylinder and controlled in accordance with the position of said armature for shunting a portion of the armature Winding when the motor circuit is initially closed.

6. In a starting mechanism, the combination with an electric motor having a normally displaced and longitudinally shiftable armature, of means controlled in accordance with the position of said armature for controlling a shunt circuit for a portion of the armature winding.

having a longitudi- 7. In a starting mechanism for automo' and means operable by the axial movement. biles, the combination with an electric trioof said armature for-rendering said shunt- 10 tor having a frame, field ma nets' supported in means inoperative,

\therein, and an axially shi table armature n testimony whereof, I have hereunto 5 normally displaced with respect to a plane 'eubscribed my name this 29th (l ly of May,

extending transversely of the motor axisanil 191-5. 1 -oentrally.ofthe field magnets, meafisfo; v I

shunting a portion of the armature winding HORACE V. S. 'IAYLOR. 

